Wheatbelt NRM BioBlitz 2015

Sep

22

Wheatbelt NRM BioBlitz 2015

The Bindoon – Dewars Pool Road BioBlitz is a community project aimed at bringing together professional and amateur biologists, ecologists and naturalists – and those interested in learning more about their natural environment – to advance the scientific knowledge of, and learn more about, one part of the State’s diverse biota, ecological communities, and environmental resources.

This year, there were six Natural Area field crew who registered for the weekend and by all accounts it was an amazing learning experience.

On the 12-13th of September 6 members of Natural Area participated in the Bindoon BioBlitz. This event was held by the Wheatbelt NRM on a number of properties off the Bindoon Dewars Pool Road. The purpose of this event was to collect biological data on plants, animals, insects and fungi with specialists from each field.

Josh, Tamara, Bree, Shannon, Taryn and James arrived on site and after checking in we began setting up tents and swags and then met with the team leaders and other volunteers. All up there would have been approximately 45 people in attendance. Volunteers were assigned to team leaders specialising in invertebrates, flora, reptiles and birds. We carpooled to the sites after lunch and began assisting with the identification of specimens. We swapped team leaders learning more species. After dinner of burgers everyone went on the night stalk, kangaroos, spiders, predatory flatworms, even Woylies were seen.

We roasted marshmallows and chatted around the bonfire, when it began to rain again everyone called it a night. It was a very cold and rainy night but on Sunday morning the bird lovers of the group went on a bird walk, beginning at 7am. The NRM supplied breakfast and then we split into teams again to search more of the properties. Amongst the Wandoo forest; scorpions, legless lizards, even a Gould’s hooded snake were found. Hakea, Allocasurina, Jacksonia and many of the usual flora were found. Snail, bearded, donkey, cowslip and spider orchids were also found.

The weekend was a fun experience, we learnt so much from the experts and got to see many species that aren’t seen much in Perth.